One Plain Christmas, Please
by Blade of Justice
Summary: The only thing Haruto wanted for Christmas was to make sure that there no one gave in to despair over the holiday season. With that, and about half a dozen Phantoms, out of the way, the only thing left to do is to sit back and relax... right?


Haruto Souma hadn't really expected to be doing anything special for Christmas. Quite the contrary. Just because Wiseman... No, just because _Fueki_ was gone didn't mean there were no longer Phantoms in the world. That would never be the case. Phantoms were a natural part of life — as natural as despair itself. As such, he, the ring using wizard... Otherwise known as Wizard, would do his best to keep despair at bay during what was supposed to be the happiest time of the year. With the help of his Plamonsters, Mayu, Section Zero, and everyone else who helped him in his quest, it would stay the happiest time of the year too.

Just how did Haruto start this happy time, you may ask? Well, while all the little boys and girls were tucked away in their beds, waiting for old Saint Nick to arrive, Kamen Rider Wizard was already out on the town, keeping it safe for everyone — except for that mouse. And its little friend too.

Christmas Eve was a time for celebration for some, but for the pair of Phantoms Haruto found himself tailing, it just meant being a tremendous pain for him. One quick like a mouse, one strong like a deer, Haruto was going to use all his wits to save Christmas this year. His chase took up most of the night, but at the end of the fight, even he was not without an irony-filled smile when the buck-like Phantom got caught in red Christmas decorations, one bright one in particular getting stuck to the thing's face — right on its nose.

With the beasts of Christmas Eve put to rest, one would think Haruto could take a rest himself. Perhaps even have some breakfast before he started the day's activities, or so one could hope for the so-called "last hope." Such things were not meant to be for the young wizard, not when there were Phantoms hiding under the town's Christmas Tree. Things were just getting started now, and it wasn't an issue of if Haruto would beat them, but how. The sun was rising, and with it, the Phantoms that had chosen to sleep through Christmas Eve would be on the move next.

His Christmas day began chasing down a Phantom that was preying on a little girl Gate whose parents were away for the holidays. All alone in her family's apartment, she would have been ripe for the picking for the monster if not for Haruto's intervention. A kick to the jaw and a fist to block its arm saw, and the monster was gone faster than it had come.

He couldn't stick around for long, however. After making sure the girl was safe and taking her to breakfast, one of the Plamonsters came to him, informing him another Phantom was on the move at the hospital — a place all too familiar to the young man. He bid the young girl goodbye, wished her a Merry Christmas, and was off just as quickly as he'd arrived.

Now the Phantom in the hospital, that trickster was a sneaky one. It wouldn't make clear who its target was, and it filled the entire building with an irritant buzz. It chose to to stalk an entire floor of sick children and their relatives, never giving Haruto a single clue as to who it was after. In the end, Haruto had spent his afternoon chasing the beast, not even able to break for the hospital's yearly Christmas feast.

With that monster down for the count, Haruto was certain there was only one more holiday Phantom left to go. He broke into a run and trudged through piles and piles of snow. To his great surprise, when he arrived at the scene, he learned he had been beaten to the punch by Mayu — her punch this day had been _most_ mean. Thanks to his comrades, this meant that Haruto could finally sit down and rest. He didn't need presents, he didn't need gifts, nor did he need drinks or snacks. All Haruto wanted to do was find a nice, cozy bench...

... and _relax_.

* * *

A tired sounding sigh escaped the young man's lips. His limbs hung at his sides. Were his eyes open, he knew he probably could have seen his breath in the air — even through his mask. He wasn't particularly interested in much of anything. Despite the fact obvious fact that staying transformed was using up mana, somehow, it felt like it would take too much effort to transform back to normal. Not to mention then he'd have to deal with the cold.

"At least it's over now." The wizard remarked to himself. It was sad that so many people were prone to despair during the holidays — and who knew how many more were out there that he had missed? how many were out there that _weren't_ Gates? — but at least he had managed to keep the Phantoms away from them. That was all he could ask for this Christmas. "I probably should head back to Remnants soon, but... I don't think I can handle Shunpei and Rinko-chan singing carols just yet. Oh, Nitou will probably be helping this time too..."

Haruto shook his head in amusement. He appreciated his friends, and he wouldn't change them for anything, but sometimes he wished they could understand that he just needed some space to himself sometimes.

Koyomi had understood that.

Another sigh. A much more despondent one this time. Memories of a Christmas that had come and gone flitted through his mind. Wishes he had had of Christmases to come came next...

The moment passed. It would be a disservice to her memory, especially on today of all days, to dwell on it and not try to be happy.

He forced a laugh. She'd probably be annoyed at him if she could see him now.

"Man... Seriously, I'd known Christmas would be tough, but I didn't think it would be nonstop like that. I was starting to worry they would never stop." Haruto shook his head, smiling wryly behind the mask as he forcefully changed the subject on himself. "I wonder how good old Santa Claus does it every year. I only had to deal with a few Phantoms in a day. Haha... I don't think even I could manage to visit every house in a single night, even with all my magic and mana."

"Hohoho... You get used to it after the first decade or two. I'm sure you could do it with some practice, Haruto."

Jolting upright at the sound of a second voice, Haruto slowly turned to his side. He hadn't heard anyone approach, and in the snow, he would have. He hadn't felt anyone sit down, and with the proximity of the new speaker, he _absolutely_ would have... But there, sitting next to Haruto, was a jovial looking fellow — long beard, all too familiar red suit, with a large sack having been set down next to the bench and all. Though the bearded man that had comfortably sat down next to him couldn't see Haruto's dumbfounded expression, Haruto just knew the man... no... _Santa Claus_ knew what he was feeling right now.

"For all that despair you've been fighting, it seems to me you aren't giving yourself much time to fight your own in there, Haruto my boy." Paying Haruto's obvious surprise no mind at all, Santa simply gave the young wizard a jolly laugh. Some might question the authenticity of this "Santa," but Haruto... He knew better than to do something like that. "At least you're taking a load off now. I hope you don't mind if I join you? I'm afraid I don't have any milk or cookies left over to share."

To this, Haruto couldn't help but laugh warmly himself.

"That's okay. You probably needed them more than I did. I'll pick up something on the way back to Remnants. Don't worry about that, Santa." His mood picking up considerably, Haruto relaxed into a more comfortable position. He considered returning to his human form, but it was still pretty cold out — plus Santa didn't really seem to mind him being transformed anyway. "Are you sure you can just stop like this and talk to me, though? You're probably in need of decent a rest yourself. I wouldn't blame you."

The old man in red just shook his head, clutching his stomach as he let out another hearty laugh.

"Don't underestimate me just because of this beard, now!" As he finished his laughing, Santa leaned over and gave Haruto a friendly wink. "I've been at this long enough to know how to pace myself. I've already stopped back and seen the wife, as it so happens. Had to pick something up I didn't have the chance to deliver last night. Wouldn't you know it, one naughty child wouldn't go to sleep. I couldn't very well visit them then, now could I?"

The magic user chuckled at the thought. He remembered when he had tried to catch Santa Claus one year... He hadn't even made it to ten o'clock. That had been before things had changed for him, of course. Considering that... It was probably someone just a little younger than Yuzuru, perhaps? Couldn't be too much older though...

"Hoho... Close, but not quite there." Surprising Haruto yet again, Santa spoke up at that moment as if reading the young man's mind. "You've had a rough one, so I think I'll stop beating around the mistletoe now..."

Now what in the world could he mean by...

Haruto's eyes widened as the man reached over to the side, pulling his sack onto his lap. In that moment, the pieces clicked together.

"You've been a very good boy this year, Haruto. It's not much, but my wife baked these up for you. Don't tell on old Santa now, but I had a taste — they're quite good." As if he knew full well that Haruto was still surprised, the man leaned down and reached into his famous sack of toys and gifts, a sack that currently seemed empty save for a lone package, and removed... "You _do_ like donuts, don't you?"

Despite what should have been perhaps the most absurd situation he had ever been faced with, Haruto could only find himself laughing once more. So _he_ was the naughty child who hadn't been home, was he? Haruto supposed he couldn't really argue with that — especially not in the face of Santa Claus himself. With that in mind, he finally lowered his hands to his belt, transforming himself back to his human form so he could look the man eye to eye... and so he could taste one of the donuts he was being given.

"You really do keep a good watch, don't you?" His mood having risen considerably, Haruto gave Santa a grin as the man opened up the box he had pulled out of his sack. He could certainly go for a donut right about now, that was for sure. "I'll have to remember that the next time Nitou and I..."

Whatever Haruto was going to say, he found he couldn't finish the thought — he trailed off as the box's innards, the tasty treats within, revealed themselves. For when he reached for the now open box of donuts, he faltered. Icing of all sorts of colors, fanciful sprinkles, and treats of all different shapes and sizes filled the box. Even though this was _Santa Claus_ giving him this box... Even though he simply couldn't _possibly_ refuse this gift... He couldn't deny his tastes.

Strangely enough, the jolly old man's smile didn't fade for one moment as he watched Haruto struggle to make a decision.

Tell Santa?

Don't tell Santa?

It seemed as though this train of thought taking place was just as the jolly old man had expected from the beginning of this encounter.

"Hohoho! I told her, you know. I told her that you _loved_ your plain sugar donuts. Wouldn't have tasted one if I wasn't sure about that. Santa Claus never takes from the children's presents, you see. That's what the milk and cookies are for." Shaking his head in obvious amusement, Santa Claus promptly snapped the box of donuts shut. After waiting just a few seconds — not more than five — he nodded at Haruto, his eyes twinkling in delight. Needless to say, Haruto was still faltering here. "Go on. Open it up. Just a peek couldn't hurt, right?"

Haruto frowned. What was Santa getting at now? Well... Really... Did it matter? He couldn't very well deny a request from Santa Claus like that. It wasn't like he was being asked to eat the things in there. What harm could a peek do him? Shrugging, Haruto obediently reached over once again to lift open the donut box...

"Wha... How did you...? How is that even...?"

... and to his complete and utter shock, the box was now filled with a dozen plain sugar donuts, looking like they'd just been made. There was even steam coming from them!

Staring in blank amazement, Haruto looked from the donuts to Santa and back again, his eyes filled with question. What sort of explanation did the man have for such a feat? Had his eyes deceived him? Was there a second layer to the box? Haruto had to know...!

The man simply smiled.

"You should know better than anyone. It's magic, Haruto. Magic."


End file.
